Unspeakable
by minachandler
Summary: Set during 2x23. Oliver realises the way he can outthink Slade Wilson.


"I can't cure him; I can't capture him; I can't even outthink him!" Oliver burst out in frustration.

"Then don't! Just… make him outthink you." Oliverfroze, but Felicity did not seem to have noticed his mind suddenly starting to tick. She continued, "Look, I get it. Slade's got Laurel, and I know you have to do whatever you can to get her back, but there's another way. You've proved that in this past year alone. So please –"

_You have to do whatever you can to get her back_.

Unless he didn't.

Sara's words came back to him: "To fight the unthinkable, you have to be willing to _do_ the unthinkable."

What act was more unspeakable than putting Felicity Smoak in danger?

He suddenly found himself outstretching his hand, and without even a moment's hesitation, Felicity took it. "Felicity," he said, taking a deep breath, closing his eyes for several seconds and then looking directly into hers, "do you trust me?"

She raised her eyebrows in surprise but replied nevertheless, "Of course I do."

"Then come with me."

Her palm was warm in his gloved hand and he could see the gleam of her nail polish from between their fingers. "But, Oliver, what about Nyssa and the League? Don't you have to –"

"There's something I – we – have to do first. Come on." And with that, he let go of her hand and headed for the elevator. She followed him, and when the doors slid shut, there was initially silence. It wasn't uncomfortable, more contemplative and tense than anything, but it was only when Oliver looked up that she spoke.

"God, my hair's a mess." She had taken out her hairband and was combing through it with her fingers. As she did so, he noticed she had inadvertently spread tiny flecks of blood across the blonde, from the bruise on her head.

"That looks nasty. The bruise, I mean, not your hair," he added hastily, and to his surprise, she smiled. "Your hair's fine."

He watched as she tied it back into a ponytail again, checking her appearance in the mirror of the elevator.

"It looks worse than it is. Don't worry," she assured him, just as the doors opened.

Oliver had his bow at the ready, quiver full of injection arrows, but he only saw his fellow archers from the League at the reception. Nyssa was at the front of the pack, and Oliver could just about see Sara and Detective Lance bringing up the rear.

"Where's Roy?" Sara asked.

"Good question," said Oliver. "Felicity, can you –?"

"On it," she said immediately, taking out her phone.

"Okay. Listen up," Oliver called, turning on his voice filter. "We will meet at the tunnel in half an hour. Our aim is to take down Slade's men, not to kill them. No kill shots, and no snapping necks when they've taken the cure," he said, looking pointedly at Nyssa. She scowled back at him. "Sara, Nyssa, once you've done a weapons check, make your way over to secure the area around the tunnel."

"Where are you going?" Sara said.

He looked at Felicity. "Felicity and I have to go and do something first. I will meet you there."

Sara's brow was covered by her mask, but even so, Oliver could tell it was furrowed in confusion. "No time to explain. Let's go!"

Oliver headed outside Queen Consolidated, where his Ducati was parked on the sidewalk. He could hear Felicity's footsteps behind him.

"Where are we going, Oliver?"

"You're going to have to trust me, Felicity," he said, picking up his helmet from the seat. "Here. I don't need it."

"Oliver –"

"Felicity, please." He held out the helmet, and Felicity took off her glasses. He held out his other hand. "Let me take those." She narrowed her eyes a little but complied, and he put them in his inside pocket. Meanwhile, Felicity took the helmet and pulled it over her head. "Come on."

Oliver got on his motorbike, and he gestured for Felicity to do the same. She got on, more shakily than him and making the bike wobble a little in her nervousness.

"Good thing I decided not to wear a skirt today. Or a dress. Otherwise, I'd have to go side-saddle and that would not be fun."

Her voice was slightly muffled from the helmet, and for a moment, Oliver forgot everything – the situation they were in, the death that so heavily saturated Starling City's air they were practically breathing it in – and laughed. But it only lasted a few seconds, a few precious moments, before he remembered, remembered the urgency that surrounded them and the plan he had thought up mere minutes before.

"You ready?"

"I should probably mention I've never been on a motorbike before…"

"Hold on to me tight, then," he murmured, and indeed he felt her arms tighten around his waist. He was reminded of the time they broke into Merlyn Global. He was reminded, too, of his botched attempt at stopping the undertaking. Oliver prayed tonight would have a different outcome.

Oliver and Felicity took off into the night, and as the streets cleared, they sped up. He had to get her to Queen Mansion as soon as he possibly could.

"Did you get to Roy?" he asked after several minutes.

"Yeah," she replied. "I… let him know you're going to be fighting in the tunnel."

"Good. You okay?" Oliver said, detecting the fear in her voice even as it was muffled.

There was a pause. "Fine," she replied unconvincingly.

"Don't worry," he told her. "Not much longer."

When they finally stopped in front of the mansion, Oliver let Felicity dismount first. She immediately took off the helmet and held onto the Ducati's seat for support, breathing heavily. "Well, that wasn't scary at all."

Oliver smiled again. He reached into his inside pocket and gave back her glasses, which she put on as he took off his mask and lowered his hood. Unlocking the door, he held it open for her. But Felicity took several seconds to get her bearings, and it was then he could see she realised where they were.

"Oliver, what are we doing here? The whole city's falling apart."

"I know. You need to stay here."


End file.
